Innovation center at SEMO looks toward fall start

Business Today

Southeast Missouri State University has hired Dennis Roedemeier as director for a technology park on 410 acres of farmland along Interstate 55 north of Cape Girardeau. Roedemeier previously worked for the state Department of Economic Development.

No buildings are on the site, and construction of an interstate exit there won't begin until 2006, but interviews started in late July to find an executive director for the university's Innovation Center.

School officials envision a complex designed around attracting new companies to the region and helping create jobs. They want buildings at the site new businesses can lease quickly and grow into.

During the recent state legislative session, lawmakers approved $300,000 in cash and more than $100,000 in tax credits for the Innovation Center, said board of regents president Don Dickerson. This will be the state's fifth such project. The others are associated with University of Missouri sites in Rolla, Columbia, St. Louis and Kansas City.

"With it comes some money, not a whole lot, but enough to start the thing up and get it going," Dickerson said.

Dickerson is hoping the new innovation center director can get things underway by this fall.

A $6 million interchange at I-55 and East Main Street at Jackson will begin in 2006, said Missouri Department of Transportation district engineer Scott Meyer, providing access to the Innovation Center. The future technology park is on the east side of the interstate off County Road 618.

Roedemeier will have an office at the former First Baptist Church building on Broadway, purchased by the university. In addition, there may rooms set up as labs and conference areas.